'Truly Different': Stafford to Beckham Jr. Connection Better Than Expected?
When the Los Angeles Rams signed receiver Odell Beckham Jr. on Nov. 11, it was uncertain how things would pan out. Would sharing targets with elite receivers Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods make everyone involved happy?
But when Woods tore his ACL in practice two days later, it quickly became apparent how important Beckham Jr. would need to become.
The best part? He'd have quarterback Matthew Stafford, No. 12 on the all-time passing yards list, throwing to him.
Now three weeks removed from a Super Bowl victory together, Beckham Jr. took to social media Monday to show the world what he thinks of his QB.
"Stafford is the real deal," he said in a tweet. "I don’t think much gets talked about that but being there and seeing this s*** up close. Dude is truly different."
You can't beat a championship-level connection, and that's what Stafford and Beckham Jr. have built-in 12 games together. According to PFF, Stafford's passing rating when targeting OBJ is 127.8, much higher than the passer rating of QBs that targeted Beckham on the Giants (108.7) and the Browns (75.1).
The numbers tell the story. In the playoffs alone, Beckham Jr. caught 21-of-26 targets for 288 yards and two touchdowns, one of which came to open up the scoring in the Super Bowl.
Feb 13, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (3) makes a catch for a touchdown against Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) in the first quarter in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2022; Inglewood, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (3) against the Cincinnati Bengals during Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2022; Inglewood, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) against the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
For perspective, he caught just 50 percent of his targets (17-of-34) for 232 yards and two scores in six games with the Browns this season.
An argument can be made that the high passer rating is due to the small sample size, but OBJ was trending upward before tearing his ACL in the Super Bowl.
The 29-year-old now enters free agency with questions about his health arising once again. But he and LA seem to share a mutual interest in re-signing.
"We definitely want to be able to get Odell back," McVay said on Sirius XM's Mad Dog Sports Radio Friday. "I also know that there's gonna be some other teams that probably want his services, but hopefully we'll be able to convince him to come back and be a part of this thing."
Maybe building upon his chemistry with Stafford is all the convincing Beckham Jr. will need in order to return. He'll have his first opportunity to ink a new deal when free agency begins on March 16.
"I can't say enough about (Beckham Jr.) as a teammate, as a person," McVay said. "I really love him, cherish our relationship that we were able to establish and develop, and I'm hopeful that there will be many more years to come with us working together."
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